Five police officers assaulted during violence at Chesterfield flats, court hears

Sharna Arundell, 24, spat in one officer’s face and headbutted him, slapped another in the face and kicked another in the head twice.

The awful assaults came about when police were called out to Old Whittington’s Brearley Court on August 12 last year at around mid-day.

Prosecutor Shairoz Ahmed said: “The behaviour of the defendant started around 12pm at a block of flats where she lived - there were numerous witnesses.

“She assaulted two of the residents outside the communal door.”

In a victim impact statement read out to the court one of Arendell’s neighbours described being “shocked” by her violence and “concerned about future incidents”.

Ms Ahmed told how the incident - which began at the flats - spilled over later onto a hospital ward where Aundell had been taken by police.

She said the defendant had attacked an officer there by hitting them with her open palm to the forehead.

While the following day she kicked a detention officer at a police station twice in the head.

The court heard Arundell had previous convictions for dissimilar offences - including several offences while she was still a youth as far back as 2013.

Arundell’s solicitor John Wilford said the August 12 incident came about as a result of housing officers being called out due to “issues surrounding her tenancy”.

Mr Wilford said Arundell - who was in care as a youth for “a significant period” and “struggles with being restrained” - “just completely lost her temper”.

He said: “She was very frank with police during her interview and did not try to say anything that would diminish what police and others were saying about her behaviour.

“She has stayed at the same property and there have been no issues with residents since this time.”

Arundell, of Brearley Court, Old Whittington, admitted five counts of assault by beating an emergency worker and two counts of assault by beating.

She was jailed for 32 weeks suspended for 12 months with 20 rehabilitation activity days and ordered to pay £425 compensation to her victims.

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